Michael Smith

The primary goal of the Learning and Cognition Handbook is to integrate concepts from the discipline of learning and cognitive psychology into a usable and professional guide that is designed for a specified audience which will be designated based on students’ current or future career goals. Students will choose one of five assigned constructs and focus their handbook on this specific area of learning and cognition. Skills and information learned throughout the course will be applied in the design and creation of this handbook. Findings from required sources, including those from the text and individual peer-reviewed articles, will be incorporated into the handbook; however, these findings will not constitute the total information for each of the sub-constructs addressed within the project. Students should include the relevant sources they researched in the Week Two Discipline-Based Literature Review as well as those from the Week Three Assignment. The purpose of the handbook is to share helpful strategies, apply the chosen construct to seven sub-constructs in the field, and present a holistic guide for others that can be used in the discipline.

To complete this assignment, students may utilize the Learning and Cognition Handbook template or create their own using the template as a guide. Each section of the handbook should be written in the student’s own words with use of limited paraphrased material cited according to APA standards as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. Each section of the handbook should include a minimum of one visual (e.g., table, figure, or image) with a maximum of five visuals per section. Each image must be retrieved and cited based on current copyright laws. Students may wish to use the Where to Get Free Images guide for assistance with accessing freely available public domain and/or Creative Commons licensed images.

The following constructs will be the subject content options for this handbook and will be chosen based on an evaluative literature review in Week Two and students’ future career goals:

• The Neurosciences:  A Look at Our Brains
• Socio-Cognition: Social Interactions in Learning
• Learning and Literacy: Reading, Writing, and Language Development
• Diversity and Culture: The Effects to Learning
• Connectionism and Learning: A Web of Development

The sections listed below must be used within the paper to delineate the sections of content.

Table of Contents In this section, students will list all sections and subsections included in the handbook with the applicable page numbers.

Preface In this section, students will provide a 100- to 150-word overview of the handbook and its potential use by the chosen audience.

Introduction to Chosen Construct In this section, students will provide a 200- to 300-word introductory summary of the chosen construct and discuss any careers in psychology specifically related to this construct. Beginning with the work completed in Week One, students will include the language from their personal epistemology (revised based on instructor feedback and the further development of their ideas and beliefs throughout the course and the program thus far).

Chosen Construct In this section, students will provide information that communicates how and why the chosen construct of learning and cognition affects the following sub-constructs through synthesizing the learning principles and/or theories. For each of the sub-constructs, students will apply basic research methods and skeptical inquiry to explain the theoretical perspectives and empirical findings that substantiate the relationship between the construct and the sub-constructs. Although creative liberties are encouraged, all information incorporated should be supported and professionally presented through the consistent application of ethical principles and adherence to professional standards of learning and cognition psychology as applied to the chosen audience.

Sub-Constructs Information for each sub-construct will be presented in 500 to 700 words.

• Comprehension
• Problem Solving 
• Memory Development/Retention
• Lifelong Learning
• Domains and Domain Learning
• Affective Outcomes of Emotion
• Effects of Demographic Differences (e.g., gender, socioeconomics, religious affiliation, race)

Conclusion In this section, students will provide a 200- to 300-word summarization of the handbook in which they describe the importance of the chosen construct and assigned sub-constructs within the learning and cognition domain and their applicability within the psychology profession for the chosen audience.

Attention Students: The Masters of Arts in Psychology program is utilizing the Pathbrite portfolio tool as a repository for student scholarly work in the form of signature assignments completed within the program. After receiving feedback for this Learning and Cognition Handbook, please implement any changes recommended by the instructor, go to Pathbrite and upload the revised Learning and Cognition Handbook to the portfolio. (Use the Pathbrite Quick-Start Guide to create an account if you do not already have one.) The upload of signature assignments will take place after completing each course. Be certain to upload revised signature assignments throughout the program as the portfolio and its contents will be used in other courses and may be used by individual students as a professional resource tool. See the Pathbrite website for information and further instructions on using this portfolio tool.

The Learning and Cognition Handbook

• Must be 4000 to 7000 words (see instructions and rubric for each section and sub-construct) following the Learning and Cognition Handbook template as a guide. Although a handbook differs from a written paper, all citations and references must be formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
• Must include a title page with the required information from the handbook template:
  • Title of handbook
  • Student’s name
  • Institution’s name
  • Student’s contact information (address and email)
  • Course name and number
  • Instructor’s name
  • Date submitted
• Must include the sections and subsections required as indicated in the handbook template.
• Must address the construct and sub-constructs with critical thought and substantiated assertions.
• Must document all sources in APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
• Must include a separate references page that is formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center at the end of the handbook and precedes any optional appendices if applicable to the project.